Hayman

Overview

Hayman is a magnificent private island resort, nestled amid a lush tropical paradise in the breathtaking Great Barrier Reef. Beautifully appointed rooms, suites, penthouses and a villa overlook gardens, pools, ponds, beach and the Coral Sea. Hayman offers privacy, tranquility, natural beauty, adventure, luxury, international dining and exciting resort and reef activities.

Hayman has received over 50 Awards of Excellence including Travel + Leisure's Greatest Hotels in the World, UK Conde Nast Traveller's World's Top 100, US Conde Nast Traveler's Best Places to Stay and Spa Finders Favourite Spa of Australia.

To arrive at Hayman, airline travel can be ticketed to destination Hayman (Airport Code: HIS). Alternatively, travel can be booked to Hamilton Island (Airport Code: HTI) and transfers to Hayman can be purchased separately with the resort - rate is AU$155 per adult each way including refreshments.

Dining In

Azure (contemporary Australian), Oriental (exotic Asian), La Trattoria (Mediterranean / Italian), La Fontaine (modern European) and The Beach Pavilion (light beachside meals).

Recreation and Health

Swimming in three salt and fresh water pools, catamaran sailing, fishing, whale watching (in season), golf driving/putting, squash, fitness activities and resort tours.

Features

Health retreat, meeting and conference facilities, kids club and creche, retail arcade, medical centre, chapel and limousine transfers for weddings and reaffirmation of vows.

The Palace of the Lost City at Sun City

Overview

Nestled In the rolling hills of the Pilanesberg, one of South Africa's most scenic locations, Sun City is a world unto itself and has earned its reputation as Africa's Kingdom of Pleasure. Whatever you want, you'll find it at Sun City, from sizzling entertainment, world-class casinos and restaurants to cater for all tastes, to more relaxed poolside venues, quiet places, lush gardens and extensive sporting facilities including two world class golf courses. These are just some of the elements that make Sun City unique to the world's entertainment resorts. The Palace The Palace of the Lost City, fabled to be the royal residence of an ancient king, is truly the most extraordinary hotel in the world. The Palace lavishes its guests with 5 star service, and is luxurious in every facet of its fabulous architecture. The Palace is adorned with exquisite mosaics, frescoes, hand-painted ceilings - works of art you would find nowhere else in the world. The Palace has 338 rooms inclusive of four deluxe suites.

Dining In

Resident guests at The Palace can bathe in a grand pool while sipping cocktails. Enjoy drinks at the gracious Tusk Bar. Dine in splendor in the Crystal Court or Villa del Palazzo, where fine cuisine is a treasured art. The Sun City leisure complex also offers a wide variety of over 15 restaurants to choose from.

Recreation and Health

Two international championship golf courses -- Lost City Country Club and, home of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, the Gary Player Country Club. Fully equipped health club and spa, squash, tennis, full range of water sports, horse riding, mountain bike hiking trails. Big 5 game viewing, hot air ballooning, the Valley of the Waves water park.

Features

Botanical gardens, aviary, shopping and boutiques. Discothèque, live music venues and casino. Kamp Kwena Kids recreation facilities. Helicopter flips. Pilanesberg Game Reserve - Big 5. Perfect venue for weddings. Butterfly World. Cultural Village and Shebeen. The CVC 3 digit number on the back of the credit card is required on all bookings to secure the reservation.

Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago

Overview

Overlooking the Chicago River and the city's Magnificent Mile - within walking distance to shopping on Michigan Avenue. From the outside, Trump International Hotel & Tower is a soaring composition of polished stainless steel and iridescent-tinted glass - a spectacular showcase of beautiful style and design. For guests, the interiors are contemporary-styled accommodations starting with 600 square feet of living space with 10-foot floor-to-ceiling windows with unobstructed lake, river or city views.

218 rooms and 121 suites, each with an urban style kitchen area, 10-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, a sitting area, most with sofa beds, WiFi, 42 inch LCD TV and luxurious bathrooms with Kohler Deep soaking tubs, separate shower and in-mirror TV portal. Suites boast full size urban style kitchens with Snaidero Italian wood cabinetry, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances from Miele, Sub-Zero and Wolf. All rooms and suites are non-smoking.

Dining In

Sixteen, our signature restaurant, features a superbly crafted menu of eclectic cuisine and seasonal ingredients. With renowned Australian Chef Frank Brunacci at the helm, Sixteen promises an exceptional dining experience matched by equally exceptional views. Located on the 16th floor, the restaurants thirty-foot floor-to-ceiling windows frame spectacular vistas of Lake Michigan, the Chicago River and the Wrigley Clock Tower.

Rebar features an extensive mixology program with an emphasis placed on the use of fresh juices, herbs and spices. The wine list is heavily focused on champagne and sparkling wine, and a creative small-plate menu is perfect for sharing.

Recreation and Health

The Trump Spa and Health Club offers 22,000 sq. ft. of tranquil uncompromised elegance, whether its rejuvenation or simply a tranquil haven you seek.

Features

Grand Ballroom: Located on 16th floor with 24 ft high windows. Skyline Room: 2,653 square feet. Grand Salon: 1,733 square feet.

The Chatwal, New York

Overview

The Chatwal, New York is a salute to the Manhattan "baby grand" hotels of a bygone era. Beautifully restored and modernized by master architect Thierry Despont to a jewel-like quality, The Chatwal, New York's guestrooms explore every modern luxury imaginable in a setting reminiscent of the deco period in this landmark Stanford White building. Set on the "Great White Way", The Chatwal, New York benefits from a location steps from the drama of the Broadway theatres and the media and financial giants of the city, all the while offering a quite respite of a more genteel era.

Dining In

Chef Geoffrey Zakarian brings a return to glamour with a nod to comfort in a private, club-like setting with this spectacular restaurant serving modern, American cuisine with seasonal ingredients. A 2,500 square foot mezzanine lounge with 20 foot viewing windows allows a birds eye perspective on 44th Street and the lobby below serves handcrafted, prohibition era cocktails and light snacks.

Recreation and Health

Fitness facility with private audio-visual components, personal training and spa treatment facilities by the Ayurvedic Chopra Spa for pampering with a holistic edge.

Features

Meeting and banquet facilities include flexible space designed in sumptuous jewel tones with the latest in conferencing technologies for up to 120 persons for a seated dinner. The Stanford White Library is available for more intimate gatherings or boardroom-style conferences

San Francisco Holidays

Crammed into a relatively small area surrounded by the bay and the Pacific Ocean, it’s possible to walk the length and breadth of San Francisco. Holidays here have a special close-up quality – you’ll find friendly faces and a great atmosphere as you explore on foot, taking in the various neighbourhoods.

Chinatown is lively and bewitching, with its shops selling curios and restaurants tempting you with their sizzling delights. Union Square is for department store shopping, and downtown drinking and dining. North Beach has some great Italian restaurants, and is also famous for its association with the Beat poets. Holidays to San Francisco have to include a visit to the well-to-do Nob Hill on one of the famous cable cars (it's compulsory to take a ride!), while swanky Russian Hill and Pacific Heights are a delight to stroll around. In Mission, sample some great Central American food in the funky restaurants.

Down at Fisherman's Wharf, you can meet sea lions, sample delicious local seafood and take the ferry to Alcatraz Island, home of the world's most notorious prison. And San Francisco holidays wouldn't be complete without a walk across Golden Gate Bridge. Take a stroll over this unmistakable landmark to reach Golden Gate Park - a delightful place for a relaxed afternoon away from the buzz of the city. You can also Ascend Coit Tower for stunning views of the bay and the whole city. Sonoma and Napa wine valleys are slightly north, with Carmel and Monterey 2 hours south, down beautiful Highway 1.

Read on to find out more about our fantastic range of San Francisco holiday packages:

Eats & drinks

Famous for fusion cooking, San Francisco is home to some of the best restaurants in the west. There's Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Thai and even a few Indian restaurants together with usual favourites such as the Hard Rock Cafe®. The Stinking Rose garlic restaurant is a must for lovers of this pungent herb - booking is essential!

Getting around

Either explore on foot or hop aboard one of the many cable cars, but hold on tight, riding down some of those steep streets requires nerves of steel!

Chicago Holidays

Music buffs will love its vibrant music scene with world-class acts taking to the stage nearly every week in venues such as the House of Blues, the Cotton Club and Hot House. Theatre-goers are also spoilt for choice with a scene to rival that of New York! Cultural attractions include the Art Institute of Chicago and the Sears Tower Skydeck, the 2nd tallest structure in the world. The Loop, Chicago's central business district, is where the world's first skyscraper was built and is a living museum of modern and 19th-century architecture. For upscale shopping, head to the Magnificent Mile for stores such as Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor, Tiffany's and Nordstrom.

New York Holidays

New York City isn't one place, it's a hundred different places, all jostling for your attention. From the uptown Glitz of the Upper West Side to the downtown bohemian chic of the West Village, from Chinatown to Little Italy, from Murray Hill to Midtown, you are presented with entirely different sights, sounds and even smells in each neighbourhood. As if this weren't enough, interesting new areas keep on springing up with their trendy acronyms. The latest is DUMBO (we kid you not - it stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass!). Make a vague plan of what you want to see, but beware - the fizzing energy of Manhattan is bewitching, and it could carry you completely off course. Never mind - adventures are always guaranteed in this amazing international metropolis. Just make sure you see the best sights, like the Empire State with its amazing views, and leave plenty of time for the fabulous shopping!

Eats & drinks

There are thousands of restaurants in this city representing every type of cooking possible. 21 Club is a New York institute, as is Diner, a converted dining car with a loyal clientele. Chat ’n’ Chew, just off Union Square, is a heartland eatery where people chat as they wait to chew on gooey, piping hot macaroni cheese or a mountainous Holy Cow burger!

Getting around

The fastest way to get from A to B in Manhattan is by subway, although for sheer street-level stimulation, you can’t beat walking!

Las Vegas Holidays

Las Vegas holidays are bigger and better than ever. The cheesy entertainers of yesteryear have been shown the door, replaced by world-class entertainers such as Cirque du Soleil, Blue Man Group and Elton John. There are brand-new thrill rides, sumptuous pool complexes with wave machines, lots of golf courses and amazing shopping, from designer boutiques to out-of-town factory outlet stores. And don't forget those casinos! Your Las Vegas holiday has more than enough on offer to keep you busy 24 hours a day. But if you can drag yourself away from all the bright lights and fantastic fun of the city, holidays in Las Vegas can include daytrips by helicopter to the Grand Canyon and overnight stays on real cattle ranches too. And then of course there's the amazing hotels! Fancy staying inside a pyramid, right next to the Eiffel Tower or having a rollercoaster on top of your hotel? With our Las Vegas holiday packages, it's up to you.

Read on to find out more about our fantastic Las Vegas holidays:

Eats & drinks

There is so much to choose from it is hard to know where to start; traditional burger restaurants rub shoulders with beautiful fine-dining venues, but don't forget the all-you-can-eat buffet!

Fun & games

Visits to the Grand Canyon, helicopter rides over 'The Strip', Fremont Street light show, spectacular shows including Abba-inspired Mamma Mia, bars and nightclubs! Las Vegas is 24-hour entertainment.

Non drivers

We can transfer you from the airport to your hotel and back again! (extra charge). There is a shuttle bus (extra charge) that operates on 'The Strip' and a new monorail operating from the MGM Grand to the Sahara Casino. Please Note: Hotels will require a credit card imprint when checking in to cover incidental charges.

Getting around

Do you want to make the most of Las Vegas and its surrounding areas? Then you will be pleased to hear that we include car hire in all of our 3- and 7-night Las Vegas package holidays!

You have the option of collecting your hire car from the airport on arrival into Las Vegas, or you can choose to pick up at a different time or place, as there are Dollar depots located at many central locations throughout the city.

Simply let us know where and when you wish to collect your hire car and you can hit the open road to explore all that Las Vegas and the surrounding areas have to offer.

You can even upgrade your vehicle before you travel - imagine yourself cruising around Las Vegas in a convertible - take in the glitz of the city or drive out to the Grand Canyon and see one of the most outstanding natural wonders of the world

Melbourne City Highlights Tour

Melbourne has it all - magnificent architecture, fine restaurants and bars, beautiful gardens, a fascinating history and a great diversity of arts and culture. On this informative city tour we would like to invite you on a journey to see the highlights of this wonderful city. We aim to show you a variety of sights and experiences incorporating modern Melbourne and its history and cultural presence - a city considered to be one of the most liveable cities on earth.

Highlights

• Experience the beautiful architecture of some of our most famous landmarks including the Melbourne Town Hall, St Paul’s Cathedral, Victorian Parliament, Flinders Street Station and Federation Square
• Travel over the Westgate Bridge
• Visit the beach and café cultures of St Kilda and Williamstown
• Stop at the Melbourne Observation Deck
• Travel past other Melbourne icons including the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne Tennis Centre and Melbourne University
• Indulge in a delicious morning tea
• See some of our beautiful gardens including the Fitzroy Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens and the Flagstaff Gardens
• Tour finishes at the Observation Deck to allow ample time for viewing

Great Ocean Road and The Twelve Apostles

Great Ocean Road & The Twelve Apostles

Imagine a road which hugs the side of sheer cliffs, where the native bushland meets the blue waters of Australia’s most spectacular coastline. Experience the temperate rainforest as you walk amongst the magnificent splendour of the gigantic rainforest trees. Once you have entered this land of breathtaking rock formations and heard the tales of the shipwreck coast, you will have just experienced the most wonderful day tour of all time. It’s a long day but we make no apologies because it’s worth it.

“I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your Great Ocean Road Tour. Besides the beautiful scenery our tour guide was great. Thank you all so much for the effort you put into making this a memory we will never forget.”

- Beth




Highlights

• Views from Westgate Bridge
• Pass the city of Geelong and Corio Bay
• Stop at Torquay
• Photo stop at Bells Beach
• Drive through the coastal towns of Lorne and Apollo Bay
• See koalas in the wild
• Spectacular coastal views
• Magnificent rainforest walk
• Experience the stunning Otway National Park
• Complimentary lunch included
• Superb photo opportunities
• Follow the Shipwreck Coast
• Travel through Port Campbell National Park
• View the spectacular Twelve Apostles
• Visit Loch Ard Gorge, Razorback and Island Arch
• Pass through Port Campbell
• See the remains of London Bridge

Bali

Bali has been a favourite of Australians for many years.

Visitors are starting to come back again to Bali after the sadness of terrorism that shocked many Australians into going elsewhere.

Europeans have boosted Bali’s visitor numbers again, and Australians are slowly returning to joyfully rediscover the charms of this gracious and exotic island with its varied hotel accommodation near Bali beaches.

The Balinese people and the lush tropical vegetation make Bali a magic island with so many places to stay.

Kuta is brash and busy with golden beaches and plenty of tourists. Here you’ll find the hawkers plying their goods to anyone who’ll listen for a “special price for you.”

They’re always happy, even when you don’t buy anything.

And the massages from the happy Balinese women who want to mother you are tremendous, and a fraction of the price you’ll pay anywhere else.

It’s a one way beach road up to Legian nearby, not quite as busy as Kuta Beach but still with plenty to do and see. Many more hotels and shops here, and further north again is Seminyak, a little quieter again with great restaurants and plenty of good accommodation near Seminyak Beach.

Any Bali trip isn’t complete without a trip to the beachfront restaurants Kuta Ta and La Lucciola, near Seminyak. Prices here are a little higher than other places.

Nusa Dua literally means Two Islands and is a great resort place to stay. Here you’ll find all the big names from the Sheraton Laguna to the Hyatt, and even Club Med along one of the best beaches in Bali.
There’s not much better than lying on your thatched Bali daybed overlooking Nusa Dua beach from your hotel, ordering a delicious club sandwich and a refreshing drink as the beach life floats by your accommodation, near Kuta Beach.

Jimbaran Bay is where they have the restaurants actually on the beach, supplying fresh seafood caught by fishermen nearby. This is possibly Bali's best beach, with fluffy white sand and clean water. Jimbaran Bay is near accommodation including resorts such as the Intercontinental Hotel and Four Seasons, which are two of Bali's best hotels.

Jimbaran Bay is a popular Bali beach, near Bali airport. It gets busiest at sunset when the basic restaurants on the road's edge put out their tables and chairs on the beach, and the tourists fill them up very quickly for that "sand between your toes" relaxing al fresco dining on the beach.

Sanur is also a popular beach near accommodation that's not as busy as other parts of Bali, yet still only 20 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Kuta. And that's exactly the way many visitors like it...a little quieter with not so many hawkers and not as pushy as they are at Kuta. Sanur is home to the popular Bali Beach hotel and accommodation near Bali Beach hotel ranges from luxury to inexpensive. Sanur has a beachfront with more stalls with bargain-priced clothes to take home, but again, not as frenetic as at Kuta.

Accommodation near Sanur beach includes Emerald Villas, a small walled hotel with dip pools, privacy and a great little restaurant, just 400 metres from the beach.

And a little more remote and further north is the black sand beach of Candi Dasa. There's not much of a village there, but that's well and truly overcome by the dazzling presence of the stand-out accommodation near by, the Aman Kila resort hotel. You'll feel like a movie star here with spacious and luxurious day beds to stretch out on as you gaze over the ocean or down the beach from your elevated Bali vantage point.

And the toilets in the resort pool area are out of this world. The granite floors are well and truly clean enough to eat from, always a good indicator of what the rest of a hotel is like.

The Cliff Hotel is more nice accommodation near Nusa Dua, sitting like a small castle atop a rocky outcrop that allows bird's eye views up and down the coast. The lift that goes down through rock to the beach is good fun, as you arrive on a little sheltered section of sand exclusively for guests.

Overall, Bali's beaches have that golden colour so many of Asia's beaches have, but the lush vegetation, buzz on the island and the wonderful Balinese people make it a great holiday ahead of most others in south-east Asia.

And Bali's best beach at Jimbaran Bay IS actually white, if that's what you yearn for.

It's little wonder Bali is voted the world's best beach holiday destination year after year.

BARBADOS in The Caribbean

“In the sun, I will come, to see Barbados.”

The words of the song make you want to go here for a very good reason. How exciting...a beach holiday on a sun-drenched Caribbean island, with that calypso vibe and happy atmosphere all around you.

Barbados beaches are some of the nicest in the Caribbean and on the west coast of Barbados, the beaches are more sheltered.

Photo of Barbados beach with accommodation near by

The Accra beach hotel is good hotel accommodation (and reasonable) with swimming pool and nice beach in front. There are many good restaurants near hotels in Barbados, including the memorable "Witch Doctor."
When you go to a restaurant in Barbados, don’t be fooled into thinking you’re eating a real dolphin when you see a menu offering you “dolphin.” That’s "dolphin fish", the Caribbean equivalent of snapper.

Barbados is one of the Caribbean islands that offers day trips on a pirate ship. This is great fun and really makes you feel like you're in a pirate movie. The Jolly Roger has operated for many years in Barbados, with guests having to "walk the plank" into beautiful water to swim in, and also swing from a pirate's rope into the blue water below.

Jolly Roger pirate cruise

And ahoy me hearties, watch out for the pirate ship's rum punch that certainly does have a punch on a day out in the sun.

Antigua is another island offering a pirate cruise near accommodation in its capital - the Black Swan has just started operating after the watery demise of another Jolly Roger, washed up on rocks near Antigua's capital after a storm.

Best Beach Barbados

Barbados's capital Bridgetown has a lot of historical interest, and the shops in and near accommodation in Bridgetown are worth a leisurely stroll.

And of course, they're cricket-mad here too, with excitement everywhere over the World Cup, including Barbados.
On many beaches, you'll find young West Indian cricket hopefuls with balls flying at opponents at speeds of more than 100 kilometres an hour. Beach cricket is how many of the West Indies' famous cricketers started out.

Even if you have no idea about beach cricket, try the old "when in Barbados, do as the Barbadians do." It's fun, it's a different cultural experience, and you'll be doing it on one of the world's best beaches.

PALM ISLAND - Caribbean

Palm Island Grenadines is near Tobago and one of the Caribbean's best kept secrets. If you're longing for a small island not yet overrun by tourists, where you can feel like Robinson Crusoe and still have all the comforts, this is the place.

You get to Palm Island via a 10 minute speedboat ride from Union Island, which receives flights from many Caribbean destinations including Barbados.

There are only 37 rooms at the Palm Island Resort, overlooking one of the most stunning white sand beaches in the world with vivid blue water to match.

The view from the main beach includes a panorama of yachts and other sea going vessels and it takes only an hour for a very pleasant stroll right around the island with its beautiful white sandy beaches. The beauty of this is that you have your accommodation near you wherever you go.

There are two bars to choose from at the resort - the main bar and the Sunset Bar.
And there are two restaurants as well, providing welcome variety on a small island.

This is an idyllic island that's quiet by day and has a little music at night, so it's perfect for romantic couples, but there's not so much to do for children.

The music consists of an occasional Caribbean steel band or other live music on some nights, so it's as close to a real Caribbean island holiday that you can get without the touristy distractions of bigger islands.

Try a day trip on a genuine wooden sailing boat such as the Scaramouche or the Pink Lady to the fabulous Tobago Cays. Swimming with the turtles is a memorable experience as you sail around the small Grenadine islands near Palm Island. Snorkelling in the crystal clear water or just taking a dip in the beautiful surroundings is just wonderful.

Your accommodation near the beach on Palm Island is really about as close to the beach as you can get. When you hear of "accommodation near the beach," it's not always really accommodation near the beach at all.
But here on Palm Island your accommodation near the beautiful beach IS as close as it gets.
Just walk out the door of your laid back lodgings and there it is, a perfect Caribbean beach right in front of you.

On the other side of Palm Island you'll find a few secluded hammocks to take in the view of even more deserted stretches of beautiful white sandy beach.

Many British tourists come to Palm Island, usually outnumbering the Americans who make their way down through the Caribbean. And it's mainly couples here aged from about 30, all having a perfect holiday on a perfect Caribbean island.

THE RIVIERA - France

Nice is the epicentre of the Riviera, otherwise known as the Cote d’Azur or Coast of Blue.

Some of Nice's beaches are stony and you have to pay to lounge on many of them, but it’s worth it simply for people-watching. The beaches half an hour south at Cannes are much sandier, as are the beaches further south again at St Tropez, made famous by sultry actress Brigitte Bardot.

In Nice, the Promenade des Anglais (Promenade of the English) is a wonderful beachfront avenue on which to take a long stroll. Shopping and restaurants leading up to the old fort are a real experience. At the northern end of the Promenade des Anglais is the wonderful old Negresco hotel, with its huge circular lobby and the world's biggest bacarat crystal chandelier above you. This is a real experience to wander through, especially when you seen the fashionable people with their small dogs including poodles in the expensive reception area. The hotel restaurant Le Chantecler is a culinary highlight in Nice. For al fresco dining and people watching, try the pedestrian square two streets back from the beach. There are great perfume shops back from the beachfront strip as well, something that's very French and very attractive to the many women (and men) who come from all over the world.

Photo of Negresco Hotel Nice, courtesy Michel Palmer

To the north of Nice beaches, sites and Nice hotels is the famous principality of Monaco, which is expensive, but doesn't cost anything to soak up the sights. The Monaco Formula One Grand Prix through the streets of Monte Carlo in May is the highlight of the social calendar here.

Many Formula One drivers who race around the picturesque streets live in this tiny principality, ruled by Prince Albert after the recent death of his father Prince Rainier. His mother is the famous Hollywood actress Grace Kelly, who became Princess Grace for many years before her tragic death in a road accident.

Monte Carlo is a wonderful place to visit, especially if you're prepared to spend a little money to experience the best opulence in hotel accommodation Monte Carlo offers to the world.

Go to the Casino Royale and marvel at the expensive European artwork on every wall. Walk through the Hotel de Paris across the road and you might recognise a movie star staying there.

Or go to Jimmyz Nightclub where you'll walk through a maze of the latest model Ferraris, Mercedes and Rolls Royces to get to the front door. Be careful of the drinks prices at Jimmyz, but it's worth it to see the occasional rich young Frenchman throwing wads of inherited Euros into the air, surrounded by beautiful people.

Just above Monte Carlo and back across the French border is a beautiful little town named Eze, dominated by buildings made from limestone. The former King of Sweden's summer residence is here, now the town's major hotel.

Heading south back towards Nice, go through the little town of St Paul de Vence and stop in at the magnificent restaurant Le Coq d'Or. A former James Bond 007 - also known as Roger Moore - has been eating here for years, surrounded by a lovely little hotel and beautiful countryside.

Head down to Cannes, home of the famous film festival, less than an hour away. The best beaches near Cannes are sandy, packed and topless bathing is the order of the day. G-strings are everywhere on both men and women, especially at festival time which is always within a week or so of the Monaco Grand Prix.

It’s a real treat to be in or near Cannes in May at the Cannes film festival time as the most visible movie stars in the world walk the streets. You’ll also find actors and actresses waiting to be discovered converging here, hanging around trying to be seen.

Apart from all the heady distractions, the beach quality is very good on the Riviera, compared with most other parts of Europe. The softest whitest beach sand is at Cannes, where you'll also find the biggest number of topless women and G-strings on both sexes on the best of French Riviera semi nudist beaches.

It's up to you whether the attraction of the sand compared with the distraction of the people makes this a worthwhile Best Beach Holiday.

SANTA BARBARA - California

Santa Barbara is a beachy town 130 kilometres north of Los Angeles that's often referred to as the "American Riviera" because of its warm climate.

It has white sandy beaches perfect for sun-worshipping, and the beauty of this Spanish mission-style town is that you can choose from busy cosmopolitan beaches like East Beach near the famous Santa Barbara pier, through to Hendry's Beach where you have privacy and deserted stretches of white sand yet plenty of facilities.

Or for a long stretch of gorgeous white sand, try the easily-accessible City Beach which rolls into State Beach. This is the locals' favourite stretch of beach, and the beauty of State beach is that you can still set up camp on the beach without being told to move.

If you're after beach sunsets, try Butterfly beach which faces true west. This is almost like the Malibu of Santa Barbara, a private beach with plenty of expensive houses near the beach and plenty of interesting characters on Butterfly beach.

Americans love their piers, and the pier at Santa Barbara Beach is up there with the best of them. You’ll find a cluster of restaurants, shops and stalls all with great ocean views.

Strict planning in Santa Barbara has made this laid-back beach town an attractive spectacle. On arrival, you're greeted with the alluring sight of mostly whitewashed Spanish mission buildings and terracotta tile roofs. This and some of the best beaches in America have made Santa Barbara one of the most refreshing destinations on the US west coast.

The open air restaurants are wonderful in Santa Barbara’s balmy weather. Try Carlito's Cafe on State Street, the main street filled with restaurants.

Carlito's is Mexican-American food with a delightful alfresco area surrounded by those ubiquitous whitewashed walls with a lively Mexican band playing on Friday nights.
Try a fresh mango Margarita or a Mojito, Cuba's favourite drink with fresh lime juice.

As you may have guessed Carlito's is a local institution, so make sure you book or be prepared to line up and wait.

Courtesy Carlito's Cafe Santa Barbara

The strict planning in Santa Barbara has made the drive through town an attractive one because billboards are banned, so much so that you won't even see them on the freeway 30 kilometres near Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara is a must-see beach town on any trip between LA and San Francisco.

If you're headed north, stop at Big Sur (sit on the chairs in the stream behind the cafe), Carmel (where Clint Eastwood was the real-life mayor) and Monterey (try the Seven Gables Inn).

The MALDIVES

We've been to a lot of beaches and the Maldives is the clear winner of the world's best.

And there's one beach in the Maldives we've voted as the world's best beach. It's the beach at Sun Island in the southern group of these 1192 coral islands in the Indian Ocean, south of Sri Lanka.

Sun Island, Maldives

Why is it the world's best best beach? Look at the Sun Island beach photos then imagine you're there - white sand, smooth as talcum powder greets you, as you immerse yourself in the most beautiful aquamarine water you can imagine.
The perfect palm trees on Sun Island complete the dazzling panorama of the beach voted by a number of travel writers as the world's best beach.

Sun Island main beach

The Sun Island Resort and Spa is situated perfectly on this pristine beach. The big free-form swimming pool stops at the edge of the beach sand, where distinctive Maldivian thatched huts allow you to take in the sun and the spectacular sights without getting sunburnt.

Sun Island Resort pool

The Maldives are only a four hour flight from Singapore.
There are two ways to get to Sun Island when you fly into the Maldives capital Male.
Male international airport is on its own island, so there's a flotilla of speedboats waiting right outside arrivals to take you to the numerous island resorts, many of which cater to honeymooners.
Sun Island is the biggest of the Maldivian Islands and therefore is the best island to visit - THE most beautiful beaches on the Maldives, perfect for honeymooners, couples and families because of that rare blend of privacy and varied activities.

The speedboat ride to Sun Island in the South Ari Atoll is 2 1/2 hours through crystal clean water, or you can take the Trans Maldivian Airways seaplane for a 25 minute flight that allows you to see the brilliant white and blue of the coral islands below.

Beach photo courtesy Sun Island Resort & Spa

On arrival at the long jetty at Sun Island Resort and Spa, some travellers have reported weeping with delight at the dazzling beauty in front of them. This is where Robinson Crusoe meets resort living, and the best beach snaps you'll ever take are right in front of you. It takes an hour to walk around the pure white sand beaches of Sun Island, with the alluring over-water bungalows half way around.

Accommodation

All accommodation is near the edge of the beautiful beaches all the way around Sun island, apart from the water bungalows with their Thai Restaurant at the end of the jetty. You'll stay in spacious tiled beach bungalows with their own sun loungers outside to sit back, relax and enjoy the views of these perfect beaches.

Our tip is the superior beach bungalows to the right of the jetty, numbered from 150 to 178 - on a beautiful Maldives beach, and near to all the resort facilities including the big restaurant.

Sun Island Resort beachfront

Accommodation packages at many pretty island resorts in the Maldives are "all inclusive" (AI), which means accommodation, all meals and some alcoholic drinks. The alternative is "full board", which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner but not alcoholic drinks. Because the Maldives is Muslim and doesn't encourage excessive alcohol, all inclusive is different here than in some parts of the world such as the Caribbean, where AI means alcohol supplied to excess.

In the big restaurant at Sun Island Resort and Spa, the food is plentiful, varied and very good. You are assigned your own table and waiter and it's customary to tip, which assures you of personal service at all times and also a good chance of moving tables near a good beach view.
Because alcohol is flown in from Dubai, it can be expensive with dinner, but there's a big wine list available. Try the Californian Zinfandel red (open it early and let it breathe) or the Italian Orvieto Classico white, which has a light fizz and is almost like champagne from France. These are both reasonable at $23 a bottle.

Photo of Sun Island Resort dining area

Because some of the workers here are from Sri Lanka and India, you'll taste some of the best curries you've ever had. The bacon with your eggs at breakfast is beef bacon because Muslims don't eat pork.
Here at Sun Island Resort and Spa, the Muslim management and staff were very attentive, friendly and lovely gentle people, genuinely interested in making visitors happy.

The beautiful beaches on the Maldives' Sun Island are swept every day by women staff members to maintain that picture-perfect postcard panorama, while your room is cleaned twice a day by room boys who are happy to help regardless of whether they are tipped or not.
It's obvious that this local Muslim view of riches is focused on goodness and happiness, perhaps a little different from the Western pursuit of material riches. That's another reason this is a beautiful, pure, best beach holiday.

Many Maldives islands have pretty beaches but sharp coral in the shallows, distracting from the beauty. At Sun Island, you can walk from the pool across the white powdery beach and into the stunning water that has sand as smooth as it is on the beach.

Sun Island vegetation

What to Do

The focus in the Maldives is relaxing on beautiful beaches. When you've finished your bountiful breakfast, stroll the few metres to the stunning beach in front of the biggest pool in the Maldives, grab a beach towel and recline under one of the round thatched huts on the perfect beach sand. You can spend hours gazing at the beautiful flat sea in front of you with its plentiful sea-life waiting for you to join them.

Maldives coral reef snorkelling is fantastic. The best spot on Sun Island is just past the end of the jetty near the Italian restaurant, where you'll see everything from the most vibrantly colourful fish imaginable to friendly sandy-coloured stingrays. Stingray feeding at night near the northern end of the island is another wonderful sight, interacting with nature on your naturally beautiful island in the sun.

And you have to try the Araamu Spa in its peaceful tropical gardens, near the overwater bungalows. Try the couples' spa where all your clothes are delicately removed and you lie with your partner in your natural state surrounded by natural foliage around you and above you. It may sound daring, but it is one of life's great pleasures if you can relax and go with the flow.

Photo Maldives beach cafe

Near Sun Island Resort's reception are two bars and a games area, featuring everything from table tennis to billiards. If you want a bar that's away from it all, find the Beach Bar near the Water Sports area.

Here you can shelter from the tropical sun and watch or take part in everything from windsurfing to kayaking and waterskiing.

Another favourite activity is a Hello Neighbours daytrip to two nearby islands - the locals' island to see Maldivian life as it's been for centuries, and Holiday Island which is another of the Villa Hotels resorts.

You can also go on a sunset cruise, sunrise or sunset fishing trip where you're sure to catch some of the plentiful fish, or just escape to an isolated stretch of these beautiful Maldive Island beaches on Sun Island and read a good book.
Or take a bike for $21 a week and cycle around the island - no traffic, no helmets, just you and nature.

And if you really have to check the internet to see what's happening back at home, Sun Island Resort and Spa has just upgraded to high speed broadband with instantaneous access.

Because of global warming many Maldives islands are facing rising water levels which can threaten their beautiful beaches, leading to an ingenious system in which the sand is pumped back onto the beach.

Barefoot pilot - Maldives style!

Summary

The Maldives and particularly Sun Island have magnificent beaches that really have to be seen to be believed. The main beach near on arrival at Sun Island has the whitest sand and most stunningly aquamarine water you will ever see.

This is enhanced by the perfect positioning on this palm-lined beach of the resort pool and bar, plus thatched beach huts that will make you feel like Robinson Crusoe in comfort.
The water is warm, crystal clear and perfect.

Sun Island has been voted twice by the Maldivian government as the Maldives' most environmentally friendly resort.

A perfect Best Beach Holiday destination we highly recommend. Go to Sun Island and you'll never forget the Maldives.

Jumeirah Beach, Dubai

Dubai is rapidly becoming a hot spot as one of the world’s Best Beach Holidays. Hotel accommodation and tourism are the best that money can buy, and the white beaches with palm trees everywhere on the edge of the desert provide a true Arabian getaway.

It’s a far cry these days from its existence as a small Middle East fishing port in the 1950s. The amount of remarkable construction here is breathtaking, yet when you get to the centre of beach activity at Jumeirah Beach it seems far away.

Jumeirah Beach itself is a long stretch of clean white sand, punctuated by those picturesque palm trees and beach daybeds with white furnishings that allow you to dream the day away. It will take you about 20 minutes to reach from Dubai Airport.

The waters of these Dubai beaches are never cold, so swimming is pleasant all year round.

Jumeirah Beach is where you find the truly amazing collection of hotels put together by the Jumeirah Group. While we're usually concentrating on the quality of beaches, we would be remiss in this report not to show you some of the most spectacular beach hotels on earth.

The most famous is the world’s only 7 star hotel, the exclusive Burj al Arab in the shape of a billowing sail, where you have to have a booking to get in, or be staying at one of the other Jumeirah Group hotels, unless you've made prior arrangements.

The Burj al Arab (translated as Tower of the Arabs) is currently the tallest hotel in the world.

This luxury hotel is on an artificial island near Jumeirah Beach, connected to the beach by an exclusive curving bridge.

Just down the beach is the family-orientated Jumeirah Beach Hotel, a favourite among tourists because of its on-the-beach location, marvelous facilities and splendid futuristic design in the shape of a breaking wave.

The Jumeirah Beach Hotel provides a sense of endless space and light, with every one of the 598 luxury rooms and suites enjoying a spectacular panoramic view of the Arabian Gulf, thanks to floor to ceiling windows.

Jumeirah Group hotels are certainly spacious; here at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel the smallest rooms are 50 square metres, huge by international standards and much larger than most European hotels.

Our firm favourite in Dubai for a Best Beach Holiday is the Al Qasr hotel at Madinat Jumeirah, the fashionable beachfront hotel precinct made up of Venetian-style canals, waterfront restaurants and even a shopping centre that has it all, right on the beach.

The reason the Al Qasr is our favourite beach hotel in Dubai is that it resembles an Arabian palace but it won’t cost you a king’s ransom to reside there.

Where else in the world can you stay in beachfront splendour with spectacular gold statues of wild horses greeting you on arrival?

This majestic mansion style hotel has 292 guest rooms and suites.

It’s surrounded by water to become a virtual island - looking past the canals complete with ferrymen, across one of the world’s biggest swimming pools and out to the vast Arabian Sea with its stunning hazy sunsets.

The main breakfast area is a wonderful building overlooking the pool with a buffet that reflects the generosity of the Arabian people.

It’s such a delight to sit in air conditioned comfort eating a vast assortment of food as you look through big glass windows to the palm trees, daybeds and blue, blue pool outside.

The pool is memorable not only because of its size, but also because of the smartly dressed lifeguards complete with headgear who are spaced close together right around the vast pool. They are the personification of the safety and comfort you feel here on Jumeirah Beach.

When you add the Wild Wadi water fun park to the attractions at Jumeirah Beach, you know you’re in exactly the right place for one of the World’s Best Beach Holidays.

Be aware that in the middle of the year in summertime Dubai is usually very hot, so much so that your sunglasses will steam up when you venture out from air conditioning. On many days the maximum can reach 45 degrees Celsius or 110 Fahrenheit but you’ll be having such a good time on Jumeirah Beach, you’ll quickly acclimatise.

The Jumeirah hotels are really worth looking at on your beach holiday to Dubai because they really do offer peace and tranquility for the flustered tourist arriving after a long flight. Packages can include limousine airport transfers as well as access to Premium Leisure Clubs including breakfast, afternoon tea, all day beverages and pre-dinner canapés from 6 to 8pm.

The hotel rooms themselves can only be described as beautiful.

At the Al Qasr Hotel for example, you’re greeted with classic Arabian style in your spacious room, with king size bed and gorgeous canopy, rich marble bathroom including rain showers and in most cases a dreamy view across the Arabian Sea.

The hotel beds really are the most luxuriously comfortable we’ve tried anywhere - and we’ve tried a few.

You can see from the hotel room photos the thought that's gone into giving you a heavenly night's sleep - so many comfortable pillows in different sizes that you can make your own luxury hotel nest.

If you can drag yourself away from your hotel room, go down through the gracious lobby to the Venetian-style canals, where you’ll be treated like a King or Queen as you’re transported to the waterfront restaurants.

There’s a good Italian restaurant here at Madinat Jumeirah Dubai called Toscana with reasonable prices and dining inside or out. Just down from the Toscana is Trader Vic’s where you feel as though you’re in Africa waiting for a barge down river.

If you’re staying at any of the Jumeirah Hotels, you’re given free entry to the 7 star Burj al Arab hotel or the Wild Wadi water park right behind it.

This is such a refreshing water park to visit, where the young and young at heart delight in being saturated by a huge barrel that tips water over every one at regular intervals.

This is where you’ll find one of the world’s highest thrill slides as well as an artificial wave that will more than make up for the lack of waves on the beach outside.

And what’s so endearing about this Arabian-style water park is the mix of nationalities thoroughly enjoying themselves in the water - from pale tourists to local women clad head to toe in traditional burqas while they swim.

WHAT TO DO IN DUBAI

The shopping here is some of the best in the world, with everything from European fashion labels to lesser known creations at cheaper prices than you’ll find in Europe or North America. The best times to come to Dubai for shopping are when the sales are on in February and also July. And without a doubt the best place to shop is the amazing Mall of the Emirates, only a few minutes from Jumeirah Beach.

This is where you’ll find most of the world’s famous labels at a cheaper-than-home price, and where you’ll find the paradox of the Middle East’s first indoor snow field in the middle of the desert heat! Ski Dubai is an ingenious ski field behind thick glass that allows shoppers to watch as skiers hurtle down five ski runs on genuine snow.

As you watch from the St Moritz café at the base, you’ll almost believe you’re in the European alps as the ski lift takes skiers and snowboarders up to the top of the “mountain.” You can also sip a hot chocolate half way up the slope at the Avalanche Café, feeling chilly while it's very hot outside.

If you want to see more of Dubai, the Big Bus Tour is identical to the open double-decker tourists buses you’ll see in London, complete with English-speaking guide on a microphone. You can jump on and off at your leisure and tickets are valid for 24 hours. You can see the real Dubai on the Red Route including the bazaars or “souks”, Al Fahidi fort and the Dubai Museum. The Blue Route takes in many of the best shopping malls and 5 star hotels. The best value is a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children for US$134, or you can buy a single adult ticket for $52.

For a glimpse of old Dubai, go to the Bastakia Quarter and its old alleyways, built by Persian merchants in the late 19th century. The United Arab Emirates government has made these beautifully restored old buildings a conservation area.

This is where you’ll find many traditional wind tower houses, designed before electricity to funnel cool air through the living areas. You can see what these traditional homes are like at the converted Basta Art Café with its shady courtyard, close to a number of galleries in this district.

And a memorable experience while in Dubai is taking a four wheel drive trip half an hour out of the city for Dinner in the Desert. Your driver will wear traditional Arab attire with no shoes before joining a convoy of vehicles sliding down sand dunes for an hour in what’s virtually a choreographed dance routine.

You’ll even pass a genuine green desert oasis that will appear like a mirage before you’re given the opportunity of a camel ride. Then it’s dinner in the desert in a traditional setting with a sumptuous feast prepared before your eyes. You have a choice of many grilled meats and some companies will provide a vegetarian option.

And just when you think it’s over, a traditional belly dancer arrives to complete your dinner that really is good fun.

DUBAI DEVELOPMENT

Construction in Dubai is literally hurtling along, including the new overhead rapid rail link from Dubai Airport straight to Jumeirah Beach and into the city. A staggering 25 per cent of the world’s cranes are currently in Dubai as resort operators, big banks and the world’s leading companies join the Dubai property investment gold rush.

Local newspapers predict Dubai may become “the new Wall Street” while other reports predict this booming capital will soon overtake Singapore and Hong Kong as the world’s favourite shopping destination.

Make sure you seen the stunning artificial islands being constructed while in Dubai. The Palm Islands are a breathtaking sight in the shape of a date palm with a trunk and 17 fronds as a crown with a surrounding crescent island acting as a breakwater. These islands will include boutique hotels, a retreat and residential areas with marinas and plenty of beaches.

The World Islands are equally as spectacular because they resemble a globe of the world when viewed from the air. These man-made islands are being shaped into the world’s continents, divided up into 300 small islands for expensive homes, exclusive resorts and even community use. Some individual islands have already sold for up to US$35 million.

So that’s Dubai, a genuine Best Beach Holiday that’s different but thoroughly enjoyable. Dubai is a great destination for a relaxing break on a beautiful beach with all the comfort you need. And if you want more, there's all the tourism and shopping you need little more than a stone's throw away from the white sands of Jumeirah Beach.

We thoroughly recommend Dubai as one of the world's Best Beach Holidays.